ef_a_talefandomcom-20200213-history
Kuze Shuichi
Kuze Shuichi is a renowned German violin virtuoso who lives in a townhome in Otowa, Australia. He is Sumire Asou's neighbor and a good friend to Yuu Himura, whom he had met twelve years prior at Otobane Academy (along with Nagi Hirono and Yuuko Amamiya). He lives alone. Hiro Hirono is a fan of Kuze's violin performances and owns several CDs. Kuze is a womanizer and has claimed several conquests in his past. He openly lusts after his neighbor Sumire Asou (Renji's mother), despite her being married. Recently he has been seeing Nagi Hirono. Prior to the start of Melodies, Kuze was diagnosed with a rare form of degenerative cardiomyopathy*. The illness is terminal, and he has less than a year to live. Relationships Because of his secret illness, Kuze has broken off all of his relationships as he bitterly waits to die. Meanwhile, Mizuki Hayama travels to Otowa, Australia to visit her aunt, Sumire Asou, while on winter break. During this time, Sumire introduces Mizuki to her next door neighbor, Kuze. Mizuki visits Kuze in his townhome several times, and she charms him with her youthful energy and boundless enthusiasm. Kuze finds her to be a pleasant distraction from his daily cares and reacts with mild bemusement (''Melodies'' episode 1). One day Mizuki blurts out that she is in love with him, which shocks him (episode 2). He orders her never to approach him again. Kuze knows that Mizuki is particularly tempting to his carnal side because he has a fetish for girls wearing schoolgirl uniforms. (In ''Memories'' episode 6 it is revealed that Sumire Asou has been wearing the uniforms.) However, there is no evidence that he has ever actually consorted with a minor before, and he is clearly unwilling to do so with Mizuki. Kuze orders Mizuki to stay away. When she learns of his fatal illness, she becomes determined to help him. She tries to rescue Kuze from his depression and isolation despite knowing that he will certainly die soon. Kuze becomes angry, and he continues to rebuff her advances to avoid hurting her. Key Problem Kuze suffers from degenerative cardiomyopathy*. The illness is 100% fatal, and he has less than a year to live. His heart muscle will atrophy as he slowly grows weaker, then he will be bound to a wheelchair, then become totally bedridden, then die. He takes a large cocktail of drugs daily to slow the inevitable progression. There is no cure. As a result he begins to shut down his life as he gives away his possessions, cuts off all friendships, and bitterly waits to die. Mizuki, who is now secretly aware of his illness, ignores his request to be left alone. She continues to try to see him and help him despite his repeated rejections of her. In ''Melodies'' episode 11, he reveals to Mizuki that he is going to die and so he cannot make her happy. Mizuki replies, "No, you are wrong. I'll be happy. And when you're about to die, I'll make sure that you're happy as well. So, won't you come along with me? ... No matter how much you treasure them, all things will eventually perish. Bonds, feelings, memories, hearts, and even life. Everything in this world eventually perishes. Everything eventually breaks... So let's cherish it! Let's cherish it until that time." Kuze stands in awe of this girl. She has the wisdom of the ages. It is Mizuki's revealed maturity combined with her indomitable spirit and optimistic attitude that allows her to finally save Kuze Shuichi from his depression over his fatal illness. At the end of Melodies Kuze is at peace, and they agree to remain together and cherish their time with each other for as long as they can. Kuze undergoes a risky operation that extends his life by a couple years. In the final scene, Kuze informs Yuu Himura that Mizuki will blossom and become a woman in a year, the implication being that they will delay the consummation of their love relationship until she is a legal adult. * In the visual novel, Kuze is diagnosed with an unspecified 'neurosis' instead of cardiomyopathy. Category:Characters Category:Male Characters